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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I. W. B. B. NEALE.

APPARATUS .FOR AERIAL DANCING,

No. 567,352. Patented Sept. 8, 1896 me onlus Perm: no., mmouwu. Msmnmou a c (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2..

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10.567,352. Patented sept. 8,- 1896.-

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Z5/ven???- 'MZZVM. @M M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. B. NEALE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND'.

APPARATUS FOR AERIAL DANCING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 567,352, dated September 8, 1896. Application nea August 23,1895. serrano. 560,223. cromati.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. B. NEALE, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at London, England, have invented an `Improvement in Apparatus for Aerial Dancing, ofwhich the following is a specification. My invention has relation to that class of stage performances known as aerial dancing,7 in which one or more performers are enabled, by aid of special mechanism invisible to the spectators, to rise ,into the air to agreater or less height above the stage.

The mechanism which I have devised enables the performer to rise or spring into the air, not only in a vertical direction, but also to make considerable movements horizontally across the stage. It also enables two or more persons to perform at the same time without getting in each others way.

In carrying my invention into effect I place at a suitable position on or near the stage a winding mechanism actuated by hand 4or power, as may be requisite, consisting, essentially, of a winch with conical drum, spirally grooved in such amanner that the tension of the rope wound thereon'and springs is substantially uniform when the apparatus is in operation. One end of the rope aforesaid is attached to a suitable spring, preferably of india-rubber, the other endof which is securely fastened to a wall or support. The other end of the rope passes through a pulley-block suspended above the stage and is attached to the wire which is fastened to the performer on the stage.

In order to attain certain effects in the operation of the mechanism, a spring or accumulator, preferably of india-rubber, may be interposed between the rope and the wire, giving increased elasticity to the arrangement.

By means of this device the performer can make comparatively short springs and quick movements without the aid of the Winding mechanism, but with considerable assistance from the` rubber spring, which also causes a more gracefulmotion when the winding mech- -anism is operated.

If it be desired to attach formers at the same time, a ring or loop is secured to the main rope, from which ring separate ropes pass through pulleys suspended as described. Each performer, being thus attwo or more pertached to the main rope, is lifted simultaneously when the winding mechanism is operated.

In order to cause motion of the performer in a horizontal direction, I employ another winch, actuating yan endless rope passing through pulleys at each side of the stage. This rope carries one or more holders or travelers provided with friction wheels or rollers, between which the vertical wire or rope passes. When therefore7 the horizontal rope is caused to travel forward or backward by means of the winch, the traveler or travelers are drawn along correspondingly and the performer or performers are moved about the stage.

In order that my invention may be more clearly understood, I will now proceed to describe the same as illustrated by the drawings annexed. v

' In the drawings, Figure I represents a general view of the invention as applied to the stage of a theater and adapted for the use of one performer. Fig. 2 represents an elevation of the'double winch or winding device. Fig. 3 represents anv end view of the winch for raising and lowering the performer. Fig. I represents an end View of the 'winch for actuating the traveler. Fig. 5 represents a side and a top view, respectively, of the traveler. Fig. 6 represents the invention as applied to actuate two or more performers.

The winding device, Fig. 2, is preferably constructed, as shown, of a framework supported by uprights A and provided with handle-bars B with wheels C for convenience of moving the same from one part of the stage or hall to another. The said handle-bars B Vare pivoted to the frame at a suitable point,

such as l), so that when the handles are lifted by the attendant the wheels C are pressed upon the ground and the machine travels upon them, as required. Upon this vframe are placed two Winches D and E. Y The winch D serves to give vertical motion to the performer by means of the rope d, passing over pulleys X and Y and attached to the wire e, passing through the traveler and terminating in the loop Z.

The winch consists'of a cylindrical portion a and a stepped cone a. Upon the cylindrical portion is wound the rope 0l, as afore- IOO said. Around the stepped cone or fusee is wound a rope d', secured at one end to the fusee, and at the other to the spring or accumulator f, which in turn is secured to a set wall-beam or other fixed support by means of the link or hook g.

The fusee or stepped cone a and the strength of the spring or accumulator f are proportioned in such a manner that when the performer is standing upon the stage the rope d is wound upon the fusee and the spring f is fully stretched. Y 4

In proportion as the winch D is caused to revolve by means of the handle D the rope d is wound upon the cylindrical portion a, and the performer is lifted from the stage, while the rope attached to the spring fis unwound from the fusee and the tension on the spring is correspondingly diminished. By means of this device I obtain a uniform tension upon the rope D, and consequently avoid any jerking or too hasty impetus to the performer.

The winch E is preferably constructed as shown in Fig. 4, in which the ends of the rope h h are respectively wound upon two separate drums, 0 and p, each fixed upon an axle and provided with a crank-handle.

The axle of the drum 0 is made hollow and the axle of the drum p ts within it. A disk r is keyed upon the axle of p, provided with pegs or teeth arranged to fit into corresponding holes in the disk s, keyed upon the hollow axle of the drum 0. When it is desirable to adjust the rope h, the drum p is drawn away from the drum o until the pegs of?1 escape from the holes in the disk s, when the two drums can be turned in either direction independently of each other. As soon as the rope h has been tightened or slackened to the required extent, the drum p is pushed back toward o until the pegs of the disk r again engage in the holes of the disk s, and the two drums are thereby locked together and rotate with the same motion. The drums, when in place, can be held firmly together by means of a lock, nut, or other equivalent device.

The rope is wound upon the winch in opposite directions in such a manner that when the drums are turned in one direction the rope h is drawn over the pulleys X X', and the traveler K, which is secured to it, is drawn to one side or the other of the stage, accordingto the direction of rotation.

It is obvious that the winding mechanism above described might be constructed in two separate parts, but for general purposes I V prefer to combine both mechanisms in one apparatus, in the manner shown, v

The traveler K, Fig. 5, consists, essentially, of two flat pieces of metal 7c, joined together by bolts t', to which the ends of the rope 71, are attached, and having two grooved wheels or pulleys m, between which passes the vertical wire e.

In order to provide for the convenient insertion or removal of the said wire e, I prefer to make one of the flat pieces 7c with an aperture at the center, closed by a hinged piece 7c', securely fastened by bolts in such a manner that the same can be swung aside and the wire passed through the aperture and between the wheels m, and the piece 7c can then be pushed into place and bolted.

The arrangement for actuating two or more performers is shown in detail in Fig. 6 as arranged for three persons. The rope CZ is attached to the ring s, from which separate ropes d2 d3 d4 pass over the respective puls leys V V V2. Each rope is attached to its respective wire e e c2, controlled by the corresponding traveler K' K K2, attached to the rope h.

I-Iaving now fully described my invention, I have to state that what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

' In apparatus for aerial dancing, the portable double winding and controlling mechanism consisting of a frame A, winch D with cylindrical drinn a, fusee a', spring f, the winding mechanism E with drums o and p and a pair of lever-handles B provided with WV. B. B. NEALE.

Witnesses I-I. SEFTON JONES, THOMAS' LAKE. 

